Christianity in Brunei

      Brunei is located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Brunei is separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang, namely the western part (Belait, Tutong and Brunei-Muara) and the eastern part (Temburong district). The capital and largest city is Bandar Seri Begawan, while the official language is Malay. The country has a human population of 460,345 and several ethnic groups, namely, Malays, 70%, Chinese, 9.6%, Indians, Muruts, Dusuns, Kedayans and others, 20.4%. Islam is the dominant faith embraced by 80.9% of the population, while Christianity accounts for 7.1%, Buddhism, 7%, indigenous beliefs and others, 5%.

Modern History

       Brunei became a British protectorate in 1888. In 1906, its administration was vested in a British official, whose advice the indigenous leader called a Sultan was bound to accept. The country’s significance began to rise with the commencement of petroleum production in 1929. During World War II, specifically from 1941 to 1945, Brunei was occupied by the Japanese. The British returned after the war, and negotiations began for the eventual independence of the country. The first step in the process occurred in 1959, when a high commissioner replaced the British official. Britain remained responsible for defense and foreign policy. Brunei eventually gained its independence in 1984 after much struggle, including a revolt quelled by British troops. Currently, the country is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

God’s Canvass

         Brunei is within the Borneo lowland rain forests ecoregions, which covers most of the island. Areas of mountain rain forests are located inland. As earlier mentioned, the Malaysian state of Sarawak divides Brunei into two, an eastern part and its western counterpart. The Temburong District makes up the eastern part, while the Brunei-Maura, Tutong and Belait Districts are located in the western axis. The latter Districts are characterised by hilly lowlands, swampy plains and alluvial valleys. The Tutong District is home to Brunei’s largest lake, Tasek Meribum, named a Heritage Park by ASEAN. The country has a rich variety of fauna and flora as presented below.

Fauna

      Brunei is home to tropical rainforests covering approximately 70% of its land mass. This provides natural habitats for a diverse range of wildlife. Many small animals, tropical birds, reptiles and amphibians exist in the rain forests. One of the most interesting looking monkeys, known as Proboscis lives in the country. It is characterised by a very long nose that can reach longer than 10 centimetres. Some of the animal species found in the country are shown below.

Flora

There is also a great deal of beautiful flora in the country. The mangroves found in Brunei are considered to be the best in Southeast Asia. Some notable species of plants native to the country are presented below.

Beaches

Culture

         The culture of Brunei is influenced by Islam and Malay traditions. Alcohol is banned in the country, while only non-Muslims are allowed to eat pork. Gender relations are also governed by Islamic principles and etiquette. Shaking hands across gender is rare.

Traditional Attire

        The traditional attire worn by most women in the country is a long tunic over a long skirt. The attire is used both at work and for formal occasions. Influenced by Islamic codes of dress, the costume will typically be accompanied by a headscarf known as ‘tudung’. On the other hand, Bruneian men wear three different styles of the basic tunic and trousers combination called ‘baju kurung’. They also wear another costume consisting of a long-sleeved shirt (baju) and trousers known as ‘seluar’. The shirt has a raised stiff collar known as ‘cekak musang’, literally fox’s leash. Some of the traditional attires are shown below.

Cuisine

      Neighbouring countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as interactions with Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Indians give Brunei dishes unique flavour. In addition, its people love seafood, and spices, hence most of the dishes are spicy. Some of the popular ones are shown below.

Status of Christianity in Brunei

      There are about 53,500 Christians in Brunei, just 7.1% of its population. Over the last few years, pressure has been slowly building against churches and their activities. The recent implementation of Sharia Law, which governs non-Muslims as well as Muslims, has increased insecurity and fear among Christians. It is worth noting that converts from Muslim background can be disowned by families, separated from children, forcibly married or made to attend Islamic rehabilitation programmes. If their faith is widely known, the authorities will also intervene to pressurise converts to renounce Christianity, because leaving Islam is considered illegal. Clearly, there is need for believers in Christ Jesus to make Brunei the focus of their prayers, especially for all unsaved souls.

Prayer Points

       In the light of the foregoing, we are presenting the following prayer requests to Almighty God, who desires every soul on earth to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

1. Ask the Father to send workers into His harvest in Brunei.
2. Pray that God would sanctify believers in Christ by His word and empower them with His Spirit to preach the gospel in season and out of season.
3. Ask the Father to destroy the root of all false religions in the country.
4. Pray that believers would be empowered to preach Christ with their lives in Muslim dominated areas.
5. Pray that the Father would remove all demonic coverings from the hearts and minds of Brunei people to enable them accept the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
6. Pray that God would strengthen believers that are experiencing hardships and hatred from their families due to their faith in Christ.
7. Ask the Father to destroy the influence of demonic principalities and powers operating in the country.
8. Pray that Christian believers would walk in love, as a proof of the genuineness of their faith in Christ.
9. Ask the Father to reveal Himself to those who doubt His existence.
10.   Pray that the Holy Spirit would intervene in the cases of Christians that are facing persecutions in the country because of their faith in Christ. Ask the Father to grant them more grace to stand for the truth.

Intercession Checklist

      The political map of Brunei provided in the text is helpful in this respect. Choose a city, town or region of the country for focused prayer. Present the chosen geographical space to the Father and tell Him that you are claiming it for Jesus Christ as His ambassador. The anchor Scripture is Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”

***** Some materials sourced from History of Brunei, https://www.britannica.com; Brunei Geography and Maps, https://www.goway.com; Brunei General Information, https://www.babogenglish.wordpress.com; Serving Persecuted Christians in Brunei, https://www.opendoorsuk.org; Brunei, https://en.m.wikipedia.org.